Describe the main features of the government, society, and economy of early French Canada, and some of the institutions that were central to the colony.

Describe the main features of the government , society , and economy of early French Canada , and some of the institutions that were central to the colony

The French were one of the early settlers at Canada . Jacques Cartier (voyage attempts from 1534-42 ) and Samuel de Champlain (author of the work Voyages , were two well-known voyagers to reach the new world , and describe their experiences in detail . They were comparatively more successful than their English counterparts in setting up their domains The Acadia region near St . Lawrence saw on of the first French colonies [banner_entry_middle]

Mainly led by pioneering Catholic Missionaries , New France became their main province , with Montreal and Quebec some of the principle towns by the 1640s . Thwaites ‘s translation of Father Biard ‘s (the Jesuit Missionary ) of the encounters of the French settlers with the Native aboriginal people gives one an idea of the French people ‘s problems

Pierre Du Gua de Monts and Samuel de Champlain built a settlement at Port Royal at Annapolis Basin in 1605 , with elaborate arrangements for entertainments like stating of plays etc (Bumsted 2002 :33 . However they had to leave this in 1607 , leaving behind a token presence of individuals , who carried on fur trade with the Natives . The French too were into fur trading with the Natives , like the English . However , the French faced revolt and opposition from the Natives after sometime . It was because of the feeling that Natives were dying in large numbers after coming into contact with the Europeans . For example , Membertou , a native leader of the Mi ‘kmaq aborigines who spoke Algonquian language died shortly after being baptized by priest Jesse Fleche , due to dysentery (Bumsted 2002 :21 . Furthermore , the Natives felt that the settlers may be poisoning them , and therefore often laid siege at French settlements and took away their women . However , the French had renewed supplies , constantly coming in from their homeland , and it is said that the Natives never stopped gorging themselves excessively ‘ from the food and drinks that were a part of their supply

As for the French themselves , many were soldiers , workmen or servants who had some sort of contracts with recruiters , ship-owners or merchants , and served as hires or , HYPERLINK “http /www .civilization .ca /reper /glossair /r-ge-55 .htm ” engagys (Museum of New France , 2001 . The soldiers my have earned lesser than that of their English counter parts the typical seigneur in lower Canada , did not have enough income to cut much of a figure (Bumsted 2002 : 138 . The French also planted wheat , fished Cod and Seals from their small base at Newfoundland . The Lower Canada soil was exhausted sooner than that of Upper Canada , and soon the agrarian gains were dipping

The long war between the French and British troops in Canada created some long-lasting changes in the Canadian French society . Many of the elite left for France . The Quebec Act of 1774 , however , saw the English coming to a compromise with the people of New France . The fur trading interests… [banner_entry_footer]

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